Milan Kovac, who leads Tesla‘s Optimus humanoid robotics program, is leaving the automaker. In a post on X, Milan talked about how he joined Tesla as an engineer for the core Autopilot team in 2016 and how he started leading the Optimus group in 2022. He explained that he’s leaving his position, because he’s “been far away from home for too long and will need to spend more time with family abroad.” Kovac stressed that it was the only reason he’s leaving and that his support for Elon Musk and the Tesla team was “ironclad,” perhaps insinuating that his decision had nothing to do with Musk’s politics or recent fallout with the president. 

Tesla first announced that it was working on a humanoid robot in 2021, though it wasn’t able to debut an actual prototype until a year a later in 2022. Musk said back then Optimus will be able to move at 5 mph and carry loads up to 45 pounds. He also said that he expects it to sell for $20,000 each when built at volume and claimed that the machines can give the company a $25 trillion market cap. Since then, Tesla has demonstrated Optimus’ ability to handle an egg, cook meals, fold the laundry and throw the trash. The robot doesn’t have a solid release date yet. Musk said back in April that the robot’s production had been affected by China’s export restrictions of rare earth magnets, so it’s most likely not going to be anytime soon.

Bloomberg, which reported Kovac’s departure first, said he’s leaving the company immediately. Ashok Elluswamy, who’s leading the company’s Autopilot group, is taking over his responsibilities. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-head-of-teslas-optimus-humanoid-robot-program-leaves-the-company-120015282.html?src=rss

Britain is moving toward major nuclear power commitments after years of delays, as government officials acknowledge they can no longer postpone critical energy infrastructure decisions. The U.K. Treasury has exhausted options for delaying nuclear power choices, Politico reported this week, citing sources within Whitehall and the nuclear industry.

The urgency stems from Britain’s aging nuclear infrastructure, where five power plants currently supply 15% of the country’s total energy needs but face shutdown by 2030. This timeline has created significant pressure on policymakers to secure replacement capacity or risk substantial gaps in the nation’s electricity supply.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy, and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here.

The daughter of a woman who was killed by extreme heat during the 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome has filed a first-of-its-kind lawsuit against major oil companies claiming they should be held responsible for her death.

The civil lawsuit, filed on May 29 in King County Superior Court in Seattle, is the first wrongful death case brought against Big Oil in the US in the context of climate change. It attempts to hold some of the world’s biggest fossil fuel companies liable for the death of Juliana Leon, who perished from overheating during the heat dome event, which scientists have determined would have been virtually impossible absent human-caused climate change.

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Apple has urged Australia not to follow the European Union in mandating iPhone app sideloading, warning that such policies pose serious privacy and security risks. “This communication comes as the Australian federal government considers new rules that could force Apple to open up its iOS ecosystem, much like what happened in Europe with recent legislation,” notes Neowin. Apple claims that allowing alternative app stores has led to increased exposure to malware, scams, and harmful content. From the report: Apple, in its response to this Australian paper (PDF), stated that Australia should not use the EU’s Digital Markets Act “as a blueprint”. The company’s core argument is that the changes mandated by the EU’s DMA, which came into full effect in March 2024, introduce serious security and privacy risks for users. Apple claims that allowing sideloading and alternative app stores effectively opens the door for malware, fraud, scams, and other harmful content. The tech company also highlighted specific concerns from its European experience, alleging that its compliance there has led to users being able to install pornography apps and apps that facilitate copyright infringement, things its curated App Store aims to prevent. Apple maintains that its current review process is vital for user protection, and that its often criticized 30% commission applies mainly to the highest earning apps, with most developers paying a lower 15% rate or nothing.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Physicists at Loughborough University have created what they believe is the world’s smallest violin, measuring just 35 microns long and 13 microns wide — smaller than the width of a human hair, which typically ranges from 17 to 180 microns in diameter. The microscopic instrument, created using the university’s new nanolithography system, serves as a demonstration of precision manufacturing capabilities that researchers will apply to studies of computing efficiency and energy harvesting methods.

The team used a NanoFrazor machine employing thermal scanning probe lithography, where a heated needle-like tip etches highly precise patterns at the nanoscale onto a chip coated with gel-like resist material. While the individual violin takes roughly three hours to produce, the research team spent several months refining their techniques to achieve the final result, which exists as a microscopic image rather than a playable instrument.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Longtime Slashdot reader sinij shares a report from Car and Driver: [Volvo] is debuting a new version of the three-point seatbelt that it believes is a major improvement over the original. The new design will be a smart belt that adapts to each occupant’s body and adjusts the belt load accordingly. It uses data from interior and exterior sensors to customize protection based on the road conditions and the specific occupants. The technology will debut on the upcoming EX60 crossover.

According to Volvo, the onboard sensors can accurately detect a passenger’s height, weight, body shape, and seating position. Based on real-time data, the belts optimize protection — increasing belt load for larger passengers or lowering it for smaller passengers. While the technology for customizing protection isn’t new — Volvo’s current belts already use three load-limiting profiles- the new belts increase that number to 11. The belts should also get safer over time, too, as they are equipped to receive over-the-air updates. sinij adds: “Downloading patches for your seat belts from China. What could possibly go wrong?”

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One of the best things about an indie game showcase is that you’ll see at least one preview that makes you think “huh?” and “lol!” in equal parts. For the Day of the Devs presentation at Summer Games Fest 2025, Tire Boy definitely fits the bill. Mechanics-wise, it’s an open-world action-adventure game, which is pretty standard fare. However, like the name says, you play it all out as a tiny anthropomorphized tire. It looks super goofy, but in a way that might also be super great.

The trio from GameTeam6 who presented the early build of the game explained that they wanted to do some odd things with scale in the world, and that’s definitely been accomplished. Most other characters tower over little Tire Boy, whether they’re a friendly owl, an enemy frog or just a really big heckin bunny. But there’s also some sweetness promised as Tire Boy tries to uncover the secrets of his past and his tire people. It’s the sort of wacky combination that can be a lot of fun in practice. 

The studio has a ways to go before it’s ready to play; they didn’t suggest any time frames for a demo or release window, but Tire Boy can be wishlisted on Steam if you want to keep tabs on this quirky project.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/tire-boy-is-a-wacky-open-world-adventure-game-you-can-tread-all-over-000036605.html?src=rss